


Facing One Another

by LrdExplosion



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Canon Universe, Enemies to Lovers, M/M, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-25
Updated: 2020-08-08
Packaged: 2021-03-06 07:07:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,730
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25509478
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LrdExplosion/pseuds/LrdExplosion
Summary: Sokka puts his infatuation with Zuko down to frustration and anger as he travels alongside Aang and his sister. Zuko equally believes that his desire to face Sokka is so he can dominate him. Yet, as they continue to face each other in countless battles and unsavoury meetings, something begins to brew in the enemies.(Don't be alarmed if you see this on Wattpad, I'm posting it there, too. My usernames just aren't the same !!)
Relationships: Sokka & Zuko (Avatar), Sokka/Zuko (Avatar)
Comments: 34
Kudos: 448





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hi everyone! I want to thank you for clicking on this. I pretty much only write one shots, so a slow burn fic is something completely new to me. This chapter is a sweet introduction for much to come, so I hope you enjoy this opening and stick around for more :) As I continue to write longer chapters, I anticipate my writing style to solidify in this new format, so I apologise if anything feels clunky.  
> Thank you again !! <3

The black snow was enough for the village to fall into silence. Only moments before was the Avatar in their hands, willing to offer them protection. Now, they were on their own. The reality of the situation hits Sokka as he rushes to the front of the camp, his feet slipping from under him as the ground shakes vigorously. The situation feels eerily similar. All they can do is wait and it feels like… forever. The only sound being the deafening crack of the ice under the ship.

“Do you think he’ll come back?”

Sokka turns to his sister, his heart aching at the sight of her. He knows why everything feels similar, but he wants to ignore it. The panic on Katara’s face doesn’t feel right, she always looks so _happy._ The siblings hold their gaze, knowing what was about to happen, but too afraid to admit it. Sokka regains his composure as the ship halts. He takes his boomerang out of its sheath and holds it tightly, his hand beginning to shake. The ship’s door falls to the ground and the sound echoes through the camp. Sokka childishly expects to see the same men walk down the slope that he saw all those years ago.

He tightens his grip on his weapon as the feet of the men become visible. Slowly, their bodies come into view. An unknown man walks down the slope, staring past Sokka and into the camp. He and the other men stop outside of the village. The one in the centre, with a noticeable scar, crosses his arms and scoffs.

“The Avatar, where is he?” He demands. Sokka scowls at the man before him. His eyes… they aren’t looking at him; his glare passes straight through him. Sokka’s blood begins to boil, he won’t let himself be invisible to the fire nation. “Do I need to repeat myself? I **said** , where is the Avatar?”

“He’s not here,” a voice responds. Sokka looks beside him, to see Katara standing tall, with her hands balled into fists.

“You expect me to believe that?” there’s smugness wrapped around every word and it makes Sokka clench his teeth.

“She’s not lying, dumbass,”

Sokka expected this to anger the man, giving him an excuse to knock the arrogance of his face. Much to his frustration, he doesn’t take his eyes of Katara.

“Excuse me?” He answers, refusing to look at Sokka. He takes a few nimble steps towards Katara and stops when he’s mere inches away from her face.

“Do you think I’m an idiot?” She refuses to answer. “I’m not talking to you, I’m talking to the lowlife with the boomerang,”

“Lowlife?” Sokka repeats, his gaze burning through the side of the man’s skull. “I’ll show you what a lowlife is…” Sokka begins to run, but almost on cue, a flash of orange and yellow flies through the sky.

The fire nation men look up, so does Katara and the rest of the village. Sokka doesn’t dare to, his gaze is fixed on the unknown man. He takes one step forward and no one notices. He takes another, his footsteps light and as silent as they can be on the snow. As he gets closer and closer his hands start to sweat. Just as the man turns to look at him, Aang places himself between them.

“I’ve been searching for you-”

“If I surrender myself, will you leave my friends and their village alone?”

Sokka is half listening, his gaze never once leaving the man that is captivated by Aang. The words of surrender make him smile and Sokka feels disgusted. Everything falls silent, though he can see Katara’s desperate face as she begs for Aang to reconsider. His eyes go between Katara’s hopeless expression and the one of pure satisfaction. He watches as Aang is taken on board and he feels his sister clench his arm in anxiety. In that moment, Sokka was nothing to the fire nation and he knew it. He drops the boomerang onto the snow, the sound soft and gentle.

“We need to rescue him,” Katara half whispers, her grip on her brother tightening. Sokka nods slowly. He picks up his boomerang and sheaths it, Katara’s hand falling from his side.

“Now…” Sokka takes a deep breath,

“Let’s show those fire nation jerks who’s the boss!”

***

“Evidently you’re the boss Aang,” Aang shrugs and gives Sokka a wide smile. “What _was_ that?”

Aang shrugs again, looking down at the ship. Sokka joins him, taking in the sight of the same man from before. Even from high up, he can see the look of frustration and anger painted on his face. Although he knows it shouldn’t, it pleases him. He turns back around, everything falling into a semi awkward silence until Sokka sighs loudly.

“So…” Aang’s ears perk up at the sound of Sokka’s voice. “Who’s that guy anyway?”

“His name is Zuko,” Aang says plainly. “The older guy called him **Prince** Zuko though…”

“Prince?!” Sokka suddenly regrets his curiosity.

“Yeah… we didn’t exactly talk much so I dunno much about him-”

Sokka laughs a little, “Fair enough,”

“But his crew talked about him… He was banished apparently,”

“ _Banished?!_ ” Now he _really_ regrets picking a (mental) bone with him.

“So, we’ve got some crazy banished Prince chasing after us now? Who knew travelling with the Avatar would bring so much heat,” Sokka scratches the back of his head and falls onto his back.

“Maybe we should find somewhere to land as soon as we can?” Katara suggests, glancing at the darkening sky. Aang enthusiastically agrees and stands up, walking towards the reigns of Appa. He sits down and grabs the thick leather straps, aiming for the small dot on the horizon. Katara shuffles closer to Sokka, leaning her head on his shoulder. He wraps a protective arm around her.

“We’ll be alright,” he says, attempting to comfort her. She sighs heavily, watching the clouds pass by.

“He’s going to follow us, isn’t he?” Sokka bites his lip, not knowing what to say.

“Yeah… he will,” he mutters, looking at the sunset. The dark orange pierces the peaceful blue of the sky.

“We can take him though,” Sokka says confidently. His voice wavers a little, the memory of Zuko’s blank stare making him shiver.

“You think so?” Katara asks, ignoring the fear she can sense in her brother. 

He attempts a smile, “I know so,”

The siblings hold onto one another for comfort as dusk quickly turns into night. Thankfully, the flying doesn’t last much longer as Aang lands on a small island. Surrounded by thick forest, the group hop off Appa and begin to build camp. Rolling out his sleeping bag, Sokka looks back at the fire. He sits down, pulling his legs into his chest.

“I wonder what that Zuko guy is doing…”

“He’s probably asleep,” Aang jokes. Sokka lets out a pathetic laugh,

“I sure hope he stays that way,”

Katara offers a worrying look at her brother, “We’ve gone far enough, he won’t catch up with us for at least a couple days,” Sokka sighs in response, leaning his chin on his knees.

“I guess so,”

The conversation dwindles as Katara and Aang speak across to one another, talking about nothing. Sokka can’t help but stare into the flames and wonder what Zuko was planning. His blank stare haunts his mind and Sokka winces in response. “It’s late, we should really rest up,” Katara chimes, giving a sympathetic smile to Sokka. He fakes a grin in response and sends a small wave in the direction of Aang.

In silence, he closes the opening to his tent and crawls into the sleeping bag. He stares at the fabric of his tent, the bland mustard colour entertaining his tired eyes. His lids begin to feel heavy, yet his thoughts rapidly jump through the events of the past day. Sokka lets out an exhausted sigh, 

“Just fall asleep,” A few seconds of silence go by, “Okay… now you’re talking to yourself,”

He shuffles onto his side, one hand under his head, the other wrapped around his torso. As much as his body aches for sleep, the rush of adrenaline he feels every time he thinks of Zuko keeps him awake. Sokka lies in the dark for what feels like hours, his thoughts filled with revenge, anger and melancholy. This wasn’t like him and he knew it.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hi everyone! thank u for so much support and patience. I hope you all enjoy this chapter! lots of luv <3

The sun has since come up and is shining generously across the island. Trees rustle quietly as the unknown group slowly enclose on the camp, their footsteps nimble and light. They reach the campfire and look around at the three pitched tents; the soft sound of sleep radiating from each of them. One of them looks at Appa and opens their mouth in shock.

“What is that?” The girl whisper-shouts, causing the others to turn around. The group all crane their necks in order to take in the sight of the mysterious creature.

“She’s right, what _is_ that?” The girls look at the two who first spoke, unsure of what to say in response.

“Let’s just focus on the tents,” a voice rings out. All heads turn to their leader. She stands in the middle of the camp, separated from the other girls. “We don’t have time for this,” She takes out a golden, weaponised fan from her belt, leading the group to mirror the action. Each small tent is now surrounded by three girls with their weapons in hands. The leader looks towards the group and mouths “1, 2 … 3”

On three, the warriors lift the tent flaps up and enter. Sokka awakes to the feeling of something around his ankles, causing his eyes to shoot open.

“Aang? Katara? I think Appa’s gone wild! He’s got m-” His face gets dragged through his sleeping bag, muffling his exclamations of surprise. As soon as he can, Sokka takes in a dramatic breath,

“Appa please! You know me, don’t eat me I’m begging yo-” Sokka is swiftly flipped onto his back, where he can see his attacker, who is _definitely_ not an air bison. Above him is a face, painted red and white, scowling down at him.

“You’re not… Appa,”

“If that’s the name of the beast, I sure hope not,”

Sokka chuckles out of fear, excruciatingly aware that his boomerang is sat on the floor of his tent. “Dammit…” he mutters to himself. He _knew_ he should’ve started sleeping with it.

“Let go of me!” Katara demands, attempting to shake free from the tight grip the girls have on her. Sokka manages to get up onto his feet, taking in the scene before him. The dead fire from last night lies in the middle of the camp, while Katara and Aang are both kneeling on the ground in front of their tents.

“Get down,” The leader hisses harshly as she pushes Sokka to his knees. He hits the ground with a small thud, a low gasp of pain falling from his lips.

“Air bend or _something_ Aang!” Sokka says desperately. The leader stops what she’s doing immediately and drops the rope,

“He’s an air bender?” She looks over at the small boy, seeing his markings for the first time.

“My god…” Her head falls in shame, “Untie them all,” The group doesn’t react, “Now!”

With that, the girls frantically rush to untie Katara and Aang, accompanied by quiet whispers of “Sorry”.

“My sincerest apologies,” Sokka stands up, rubbing his wrists slightly. “I’ll forgive you if…” He thinks deeply about his next demand as he puts one hand under his chin. “If you give us some of your finest cuisine,” The leader rolls her eyes at Sokka but nods nonetheless.

“You don’t have to do that,” Katara says.

“Wha- Katara!”

“They made a mistake, Sokka, don’t use their guilt against them,” She places a hand on her hip and raises an eyebrow.

“I don’t see why not…” Aang says, his voice trailing off a little.

“Aang! You’ve got to be kidding me…” She places her head in her hand, “You can’t use the fact you’re the avatar to get whatever you want!”

“The avatar?” The group echoes. The leader turns on her heel,

“Follow me, avatar and company,” With that, the warriors apologise and follow the lead. Sokka swiftly follows behind with a spring in his step. He looks back at Aang and Katara before stepping into the unknown forest. Katara sighs a little,

“After you, Aang,” He shakes his head,

“Please, I insist,” She smiles weakly and follows her brother into the dark foliage, Aang trailing behind.

The group quickly find themselves in a small village. The streets are fairly busy, and the sight of the avatar creates even more bustle; the streets erupting into whispers. Aang does his best to bow to those he can and Katara smiles at the people they pass. Meanwhile, Sokka makes his way to the front of the group.

“What’s up with all the green then huh?”

“Excuse me?” The leader asks, exasperated.

“The buildings are all green, so are your dresses… was just wondering since we’re not exactly in the Earth Kingdom,” Sokka places his hands behind his neck and leans back innocently, awaiting an answer.

“Green exists outside of the Earth Kingdom, dumbass,”

Sokka decides it would be best to stay silent for the rest of the walk.

Once they reach a large and fairly impressive building, the leader breaks off from the group. Sokka whistles slightly as he looks around.

“This town _really_ likes you huh Aang?” He nudges the boy with his elbow. Aang swallows in anxiety, the hundreds of eyes piercing him.

“I feel like that’s not a good thing,” Katara says, Aang sheepishly nodding in agreement.

“C’mon guys, that freaky fire Prince isn’t going to find us just because some townsfolk like to gossip,” Aang tries to settle the worry in his gut by also agreeing with Sokka. Before he can voice any concern, the leader of the group returns.

“Avatar and company, I have alerted our leader of your presence. They are making you a feast as we speak,”

“Oh boy, Oh boy, Oh boy,” Sokka excitedly jumps up and down with a face full of glee.

“If you need anything, my name is Suki. Call for me at any time,” The leader, now identified as Suki, says. She waves her hand towards the door of the large building, as an invitation for the group to enter. Sokka bows towards her and then sprints towards the door, opening it with all his strength. The comforting smell of food wafts into his nose as Sokka stands in the doorway.

Once the rest of the group had entered the building and sat themselves down, time felt non-existent. The room is large, with an extremely high ceiling. Much like the houses scattered within the village, the walls are covered by a deep green colour. There is also a peculiar lack of windows which makes it feel enclosed; not in a negative way, though. Instead, the group feel protected and secure. The smell of food and incense calm the travellers and seems to erase all worry from their minds. Soon after they had the opportunity to take in such a beautiful dining room, they were provided with the first course. The food was brought out on golden platters, to match the golden decoration within the slightly dark room. The sight of it causes the biggest smile to form on Sokka’s face. The candles laced sparingly across the large wooden table reflect off the plates, platters and cutlery. With that, the group begin the best meal they would have for weeks.

The only way they could trace time was through the addition of new food. After what could have been hours, Sokka throws down his napkin and lets out a satisfied sight. He wants to say how amazing the meal was, how great this opportunity is and how thankful he is for this calm before the storm. However, the flicker of a flame brings him back to reality. As much as he wished to commemorate the team on forgetting their enemy, he ends up doing the opposite. Katara and Aang notice his still frame and his eyeline, which is staring directly into the moving flame. He peers into it with so much intrigue that he begins to feel sick. The colours remind him of the pair of eyes that looked right through him.

Before Katara can even open her mouth to ask her brother what’s troubling him, an alarming sound rattles through the room.

“That came from outside…” Aang whispers. The siblings look at one another and take a deep breath.

“Do you think its-”

“It must be,” Sokka murmurs, his eyes finding themselves back on the dancing flame. He gets up, the sound of the chair against the floor loud and uncomfortable. His footsteps echo as he walks towards the door. All he can see is the light around the outside of it, the door emitting a kind of halo. As he reaches for the handle a hand stops him. Katara looks at him with sympathetic eyes.

“Let Aang handle this, okay? You left your boomerang at the camp, anyway,”

Sokka immediately reaches to his chest, searching for the leather holder. He looks down when he can’t find it.

“Shit…”

“Sokka, it’s okay, I got this,” Aang says as he gets up from his chair. Sokka grits his teeth.

“Fine,” Although he’s verbally compliant, Sokka’s mind rushes with anger. The thought of Prince Zuko angers him to an extent he cannot rationalise. He wants to prove himself to him, more than **anything**.

The sound of screams now penetrates the tranquil room, causing the gang to jump. Sokka’s hand on the door handle notices a change in heat. Outside, it’s getting considerably hotter. Aang takes a deep breath and steps in front of Sokka. He wants to take hold of the handle but Sokka doesn’t budge. His stare is fixated on the light he can make out, despite feeling the confused gazes from his peers. He is not budging.

Sokka throws the door open with all his weight, the room instantly filling with light. Sokka blinks furiously as his eyes attempt to adjust themselves to the harsh brightness. As the scene before him turns from a bright white, Sokka makes out the figure of a man. His heart instantly starts to race. His hands clench themselves into fists and his jaw tightens. In front of him, in a large courtyard, is Zuko. Not only is he there, but he’s looking at Sokka. In this moment the world slows down for both of the men. Zuko’s arm is outstretched and emitting large and impressive flames. Sokka, in comparison, is standing rigid; sheltered by the doorway. They blink, their movement in slow motion. In this moment the only thing they can see is each other. Sokka takes one step out of the room, which instantly shatters their moment. Zuko’s fire is no longer slowed and is now roaring through the courtyard. His gaze passes from the water tribe boy and falls on the monk beside him. His flat expression twists into a smirk at the sight of his prized possession.

“The Avatar,” he mutters to himself. Before he has the chance to take a step towards Aang, Sokka runs at him.

“Sokka!” Katara yells, her voice laced with anxiety. Zuko glares and prepares himself for impact. Sokka attempts to land a right hook but is intercepted skilfully by Zuko. They look at each other, Sokka’s face trembling with anger.

“So, your name’s Sokka, huh?” He snarls.

“Keep my name out of your mouth,” Sokka goes to kick Zuko’s abdomen, but fails once again as Zuko jumps back to avoid the attack.

“I’d have thought the Avatar would pick powerful companions,”

Sokka cannot process the boiling anger that fills every vein. Zuko leaps towards Sokka and lands a harsh punch on his face. Sokka falls to the ground with a thud.

“Pathetic,” Zuko looks down at the figure on the floor. Blood trickles down his face and onto the slabs of concrete. Sokka looks up and into the gleaming eyes of Zuko and all he can read is disappointment. Their connected gaze is broken by Aang, as he sends a gush of air towards Zuko, causing him to fly across the courtyard.

The rest of the battle goes unseen by Sokka. Although his injury is minor, he has no energy to pick himself up. As his blood seeps into the nooks and crannies of the courtyard floor, so does his desire to prove Zuko wrong. His soulless body is gently picked up by Suki and another warrior, who take him towards the campsite. Sokka turns his head to look at the conflict behind him and ends up transfixed on Zuko. A surge of fury runs through him at the sight of him. However, the girls hold onto him tightly.

“Let the Avatar deal with this,” Suki insists.

The three of them make it to and through the forest safely. Suki and the other warrior gently place Sokka onto the ground.

“I’m sure the Avatar and the girl will return,” Suki says, attempting to comfort Sokka. He shrugs as he picks himself up and begins to take down Katara’s tent. The girls share a worried look with one another before running into the surrounding forest; back to the battle. Sokka cleans up the camp and stacks it on Appa. Just as he packs the finishing tent, he hears hurried and flustered footsteps.

“Sokka! Thank god,” Katara sighs, running towards Appa. She’s followed by a slightly dishevelled Aang, who is moving just as frantic.

“We need to go!” he calls, flying up onto Appa. Sokka lends his sister a hand onto the beast.

“Yip Yip!”

With that, Appa soars into the air. Sokka looks down onto the village and his eyes widen. The forest that surrounded not only the camp, but the town, is on fire. The thick smoke permeates the air. The warriors are scattered around the buildings, some helping one another, others aiding civilians. Sokka looks down at the figure of Zuko. He’s standing tall, with his hands by his side. He glares up at the air bison and huffs. Sokka, on the other hand, flips Zuko off with a chuckle.

“Good riddance,”


End file.
